Sig pics, stereotypes, and the way we behave

[WheresThe Clip?]

For example, I have large breasts. I don't hide them, nor am I ashamed of them.

Great, I have another clue for the Hot Environmental Chicks quiz 😀

(and yes I am still trying to work it out) 😉

 

[maniactickler]

So, what kind of power do the sigs have, then? And how do you propose we deliberately use them?

--T

I use my sig pic to lure in all the ladies!

 

[maniactickler]

Ok, I'll try and explain why I chose my sig pic, although I'm not apologising for it 😛

First off, I wanted a pic of a woman with red hair, believe me its not the easiest to find on the internet, then I stumbled across this one. I was in two minds of using it, thinking some people may think shes a tart etc. To be honest, if they think that then thats down to them, the only way they'd know if I was one, was to find out more about me, and then they'd realise I'm not a tart at all. I like flirtation, which this image depicts and she has red hair, boobs a waist and has a bit of a rock chick thing going on which I love, as thats me.

Since I've added this pic as my sig I haven't received any more or less PMs, I don't think 'she' has changed that at all.

For now, I'm happy with it, but who knows what the future may bring.

Your sig pic fits you perfect.

 

[Wolf]

It's about fantasy fulfillment

As a large part of this forum about fantasy fulfillment in one form or another, it stands to reason that some people would use it to fulfill fantasies about themselves that are beyond a sexual fetish. For a lot of people, this is admittedly their only outlet for at least one aspect of their personality.
It's only natural that it might end up being an outlet for other aspects. Some people don't just roleplay in the chatroom. Some are at it every time they log on:

"I don't have the guts to speak to a woman, but on the TMF, I can call them all bitches and ho's and skanks, to vent my rage." (I guess there are worse ways.)
"I'm unattractive and boring in real life, but on the TMF, I'm desired, even popular, because I have a tickle fetish". (Or at least they say they do.)
"I'm in a dead-end job and won't say boo to my overbearing boss, but on the TMF, I tell it like it is, and I don't back down from a fight!" (What fight? A typing fight?)
-- as for me? I'm not nearly as smart as I like to think I am. (Except when pointing out other's faults)

But hell, we all have our issues, don't we? I don't mind that so much as I mind people expecting everyone to treat them like their 'fantasy' sig pics. If I see one more sig pic that uses one of Brian Clarke/Les Toil's saucy BBW cartoons, (uncredited, mind you), or, for the love of the Goddess, another "Bod" man....I'm gonna throw something. Note: If you look at someone's sig pic and are prompted to say "Oh, my God, you look just like (insert star's name here)"...do you really think that's their real picture?

The ones I find impressive are the simple shots of real people (screen caps of WebCam girls and stuff stolen from FLICKR notwithstanding). If you notice, most of these people (male and female) seem less inclined to be desperate, and less likely to make every post seem like a personal ad.
Say what you will about LeoTickles (and Good Heavens, couldn't we?), the little bastard is brave and up-front for putting up that sig pic and admitting it's him. Braver than I am.

My general rule is, the more someone's fantasy (idealized) sig pic or screen name is about "look what a badass/hottie/super skilled tickler/super luscious ticklee I am" the less inclined I am to believe it. It was like in the military, where the credo was "If someone comes out and tells you they're Special Forces, you know they're lying".

 

[The Sean Man]

Despite some people taking the sig issue WAY too seriously, I like my sig.

It's silly and ridiculous...just like me

 

[Wolf]

Precisely!

Despite some people taking the sig issue WAY too seriously, I like my sig.

It's silly and ridiculous...just like me

I think it's clever and original. And I don't see you insisting people believe you can fly.

 

[The Sean Man]

I think it's clever and original. And I don't see you insisting people believe you can fly.

But but but.....I CAN fly!!! Only when nobody is looking though

 

[Wolf]

Oh, ok....

But but but.....I CAN fly!!! Only when nobody is looking though

This, I believe. 'Cause I'm not looking. So, you could be flying.

 

[ViperGTS]

My signature says I like to tie up and tickle torture helpless, sexy women.

 

[Red_Feather]

I tried out a couple of sigs made for me by Mimi. They were great, but over time I felt they just didn't fit my personality.

So I went for something a bit unusual... which fits me perfectly.

 

[Wolf]

Now, waitaminnit!

I tried out a couple of sigs made for me by Mimi. They were great, but over time I felt they just didn't fit my personality.

So I went for something a bit unusual... which fits me perfectly.

I didn't say anything about monkeys. Monkeys Rock!

 

[Red_Feather]

That they do. Look at 'im go!

 

[slap'n'ticklee]

Thanks

Thank you maniac, although it appears that a few don't like it, or they want to nit pick about how they think they know someone's personality through their sig pic. If my pic comes across as showing me not in a favourable light, then so be it. I learn a lot from what people are like when I read their posts not by looking at their sig pic.

Your sig pic fits you perfect.

 

[toyou444]

Interesting read...but I change of sig pic on a whim.

Anytime I think I've found some funny or relevant.

~ toyou

 

[toyou444]

But but but.....I CAN fly!!! Only when nobody is looking though

Its not flying...its falling with style!

~ toyou

 

[The Sean Man]

Its not flying...its falling with style!

~ toyou

Actually...if I hadn't lost the instruction book, I'd get this flying thing down

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[LindyHopper]

Great, I have another clue for the Hot Environmental Chicks quiz 😀

(and yes I am still trying to work it out) 😉

Ha! I'd forgotten about that! 😀 Good luck! 🙂

Say what you will about LeoTickles (and Good Heavens, couldn't we?), the little bastard is brave and up-front for putting up that sig pic and admitting it's him.

Oh - I thought that was a picture of Zach Braff. Huh, shows how much I know. 😛

One would certainly think so. But I've seen people with totally obnoxious, smarmy sigs and attitudes to match go whining to the mods every time someone is reactive to them. I don't know of an instance where the mod has said, "Well, look at your sig. You're asking for it."

That's a good point - and true, as far as I know. I believe the mods treat a poster's obnoxious behavior is grounds for not taking their complaints as seriously, but do you believe that obnoxious sigs or screen names should be grounds as well?

Hmmm. I think I have to disagree. I don't own a sports car, but I'm not sure it's fair to be hostile to someone because they own one. I don't think it's fair to be hostile to someone because you don't like the way they dress.

"Judge" does not mean "be hostile to." I'm not talking about responding with automatic hostility - I'm talking about making a mental prejudgment about a person based on something they've chosen to represent them. For example, a person who had $100,000 to spend on a car could have bought a Prius. If he buys a sports car instead, that sends a message about the kind of person he is.

Well, yeah, in the absolute sense, it would be wrong to judge you for it [using a photo of your boobs as your sig]. Would people do it? Of course.

I'm not talking about judging me for having big boobs, which was not my choice. That, obviously, would be wrong. I'm talking about judging me for posting a photo of them in my sig. Isn't that grounds for assuming I'm some kind of attention *****? I would certainly say so.

I've often thought (especially recently) about changing my user name.

Well, good luck with that, if you decide to make that change. And if you wouldn't mind, it would be great if you could try to collect some "data" on how that goes. Do people tend to respond more charitably to your posts, even if you're posting in the same aggressive style you did before? Even more to the heart of the matter, do you find that your own behavior is different under a different name - in other words, is your screen name actually affecting the way you act? That would be cool. It's hardly a perfect experiment, but we do what we can.

 

[toyou444]

Actually...if I hadn't lost the instruction book, I'd get this flying thing down

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Beaut!

As a comic book fan I loved that show!

I actually stole the line from Toy Story, but that works!

~ toyou

 

[unsuspecting]

When it comes down to it, I think most people pick overly-attractive, half-naked human forms in hopes of getting more interaction on this website.

Of course there are other reasons behind it too.

I think this is a good point. I have spent some time reading through some of the many posts on this forum, and a good number of the people here seem to be here in hopes of hooking up with people. Of course they're going to try to present themselves in the sexiest manner possible. Like someone else said, it's like going to a club or singles bar. They want to look as attractive as they can.

As for me, I like to say fairly anonymous on the message boards I frequent. That is why I don't put much in my profile, and it's probably also why I don't have a signature. Then again, things like that really aren't my thing. For example, I have a myspace page that I created about a year ago at the request of a friend. Wanna know what it looks like? It has the default myspace background, one picture of me, one short blog entry, and a general description of myself. That's it. I think I have edited it two or three times the entire time I have had it. Things like that just aren't my thing.

This doesn't mean that I am not an expressive person. It just isn't natural for me to express myself in such a manner as what I described above. I express myself through writing. As of today, I have completed one novel, numerous short stories, and a handful of poems. I also have a few short stories and a novel that are in the works. I work on them when I have the time and the inclination to do so. That is how I express myself. Not saying my way airing the contents of my brain is any better or any worse than someone else's. I'm just saying that it is mine.

Getting back to the signatures, I think that the person who said that people create signature pics based on how they feel inside is probably right. I also believe that many people probably make signature pics based on how they wish they looked. Or maybe it's just how they want people to picture them when they read their posts? Still yet, some people put up actual photographs of themselves as their signature pics. That appears to be what you have done, ticklishgiggle. (I'm assuming that is you in your signature). Maybe we can deduce that those people are very upfront about themselves, perhaps a bit brutally honest.

 

[SmarterthanU]

That's a good point - and true, as far as I know. I believe the mods treat a poster's obnoxious behavior is grounds for not taking their complaints as seriously, but do you believe that obnoxious sigs or screen names should be grounds as well?

No, but I think that kind of behavior supports your theory and demonstrates what really lies behind that sig.

"Judge" does not mean "be hostile to." I'm not talking about responding with automatic hostility - I'm talking about making a mental prejudgment about a person based on something they've chosen to represent them. For example, a person who had $100,000 to spend on a car could have bought a Prius. If he buys a sports car instead, that sends a message about the kind of person he is.

'Judge' entails making a decision. If you make a decision based on appearances, that's more like 'pre-judging,' isn't it?

I'm not talking about judging me for having big boobs, which was not my choice. That, obviously, would be wrong. I'm talking about judging me for posting a photo of them in my sig. Isn't that grounds for assuming I'm some kind of attention *****? I would certainly say so.

I disagree. Maybe in a different context, I'd agree. But in the context of a fetish forum, where people should expect to see sexually liberated women, and should themselves be grown up enough to understand that, no.

Well, good luck with that, if you decide to make that change. And if you wouldn't mind, it would be great if you could try to collect some "data" on how that goes. Do people tend to respond more charitably to your posts, even if you're posting in the same aggressive style you did before? Even more to the heart of the matter, do you find that your own behavior is different under a different name - in other words, is your screen name actually affecting the way you act? That would be cool. It's hardly a perfect experiment, but we do what we can.

Well, I can already answer your questions. My writing style doesn't change whether I'm writing under "Smarterthanu" or under my real name. What I say and the arguments I make stay the same. People generally don't respond charitably when you challenge conventional thought. There are people on this site, for example, who write in an aggressive way, but tend to defend the status quo thought of whatever ideological group with which they associate. People don't take so much offense at that as they do if what you are saying is perceived to be chipping away at the dogma of a belief system from the inside. Being a liberal who's willing to go after liberal icons and liberal ideologies is never going to win one any popularity contests.

 

[LindyHopper]

'Judge' entails making a decision. If you make a decision based on appearances, that's more like 'pre-judging,' isn't it?

If you like.

[Re: judging someone for putting a picture of her naked boobs in her sig] I disagree. Maybe in a different context, I'd agree. But in the context of a fetish forum, where people should expect to see sexually liberated women, and should themselves be grown up enough to understand that, no.

But they're naked!!!

Seriously though... surely, if a guy put a massive picture of his junk in his TMF sig, wouldn't people assume he's a... dick? 😀

In any case, we don't have to agree on a specific example. The point is that there are things one can put in one's name or sig that make other viewers drawing certain conclusions legitimate.

Well, I can already answer your questions. My writing style doesn't change whether I'm writing under "Smarterthanu" or under my real name. What I say and the arguments I make stay the same.

Well, I always discourage my students from being so certain about the outcome of an experiment that they feel no need to perform it. 😉 For example, though I wouldn't expect you to set out with a different writing style under a different name, I think it's possible that other people might be less hostile towards you, leading you to be less hostile in return. These things aren't unidirectional or clear-cut.

Anyway, thanks again to all who contributed! 🙂

 

[fearsometickler]

My sig pic and signature fits me perfectly. I'm a fighter, and I just love fighting by swords, but bare hands are alright too. My signature text matters too, cause I think that I am only master of my fate and there is no such thing on Earth and heaven that can determine it, any higher power or whatever you name it. I choose my path for my own.

 

[Wolf]

Wow.

My sig pic and signature fits me perfectly. I'm a fighter, and I just love fighting by swords, but bare hands are alright too. My signature text matters too, cause I think that I am only master of my fate and there is no such thing on Earth and heaven that can determine it, any higher power or whatever you name it. I choose my path for my own.

Now, that's a healthy dose of irony for ya. 🙄

 

[fearsometickler]

Well, I didn't think of it like of an irony, but... self-criticism is most healthy thing that could be. IMHO of course

 

[Bohemianne]

My sig pic is very obvious...too much that imageshack kicked it out several times. Now I have to post it here so I won't hotlink it to them, to dislodge the tiny use of bandwidth that distresses their TOS. There's no place like home afterall.